Device to disclose opening of the shunt-circuits of electric meters.



PATENTED MAR. .12, 1907. w. L. SAUNDERS. I DEVICE T0 DISOLOSE OPENING OFTHE sauurcmcuxrs or ELE GTRIG METERS.

Arrmqinox nan-n J'UIE 21. 1905.

; INVENTOR.

WILLIAM L.SAUNDER$ A TTORNEX.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM SAUNDERS, or. DENVEIi, tonano, ASS-IGNQR OF "orvDENVER. (JOLQRADO.

. To NIE K-.. HICKEY'.

a citizen of the United States of Ain'e rica, resldmgat Denver, 'in thecounty of Denver I and Stateof Colorado, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Devices to specification.

'Disclose' Openingof the Shunt-Circuit of Electric Meters, of which thefollowing is a My invention relates to devices purported to disclose theopening of the shunt-circuit in electric meters, its objectbeingtojprovide a simple contrlvance, which being placed in thefelectriccircuit will byinstantaneously signaling the factof a break having beenmade in the shunt-circuit lead to the detection ofany attempt attam emade by unauthorized or maliciousl sons; --I: attain thisobject ycausing the flow-ofelectIicit-y to be interrupted. through simultaneousopening 'o'f' the maincircu1t When-the shunt-circuit is broken,

-- thecircui't is used for illuminating purposes will extinguish all thelights on the circuit or in case-it is used for transmission of powerwill'render the various pieces' of 'machinery connected therewithinoperative; p In the drawings,-in the several which like parts' havebeen similarly desigs views. of

nated, Figure 1 represents adiag'rammatical tion withtthemai'n parts'ofthe meter mechanism and of attachmentyand-F' :2, an

enlarged vertica section through my evice;

In Fig. '1 thefmain circuit has been indicated by heavy lines, while theshunt-cirr' cuit is shown in lighter lines.

To render the operation of my. devicemore -int'elligibleyl have,'represented the main.

' the driving mechanism, the commutaton parts of the meter hiechanismdiagrammatie ally, A being the armature, and B thefield of and D theresistance-c011.

5 and 6" designate the res of the main ,cir-. cuit, inthe former ofwhich the meter'isi 101-; -cated, and? theshunt-wire leading fromwire 6'throu h the commutator and the resistance- 1 "coil to t e-outgoing Wire5.'

.It'should be underst ood that the meter has been illustrated'in' thedrawings in a merely conventional manner and that device may be employedwith equalresults on all. instruments designed to measure the quantityof" electricity supplied to consumers, provided'a'shunt-circu1t isemployed.

.. s i b mt i stem-q 1 Applicants mm m. 1905s was semis.

v "My attachment oomlsts of an-zelectr Belt known that I, WILLIAM L.SAUNDERS, I

"ed per-.

which if PATENT OFFICE.-

net-ic switch 8, interposed inthexshuntw cuit and comprising the spool9, coilz.1;0-,;-s0 iron core 11, insulated base- 12, armature. andcontact-springs 14 and 14.

The device may be secured inside the meter orin a separate casing,according to the size and styleof meter on which itis to be employed. v

Spool 9 normally extends in a vertical 0- sition, the armature-basebeing secured e-' low'iit. Coil 10 is preferably composed of theshunt-wire, which to this end is wound around the spool. l

. The armature 13 is'prefrablyglobular'in form and, rests, when notattracted, in a correspondinglyshaped recess 12 in base 12.

Contact-springs 14 being oppositely secured to the lower flange of theinsulated spool areshaped and arranged to be simultaneously engaged bythe spherical armature 13 when the latterls initsnormal elevatedosition, being held by the magnetism inuced' into the core frornftheelectric current passing through coil 10. Wire 5 at this pointhas-beenbroken an its terminals'ie' w spectively secured to each of thetwo contact-springs 14.' 1 a Having :thus' described the mechanism of mydevice, its-o eration'is as follows: Core 111 being norma lymailignetized by the effect of the electric current owing through coil10 attracts the globular armature 13, which, en-

gaging the't-wo contact-springs 14, closes the main circuit. The momenhowever, thatgoeither maliciously or accidentally. a break is 1 made inthe, shunt-circuit the core loses its magnetization, and ball. 13,fallin into its cupss'haped seat in base 12 opens. the 'main circuit. bysprings 14. The electrio-current being thus mterru ted naturallyresults-in extinguishing thelig t or stop ing the machinery inthecircuit, eit er of w 'ch' 'occurrences willinsta'ntaneously give noticeof the breaking of the shunt-circuit; p loofiaving hus-describ d'myinention, whatl Iclaiinis- ,1. The combiflation with an electricmetei' ofan electromagnetic switch the coilof which s is placed in the.shunt-circuit, and having an 1 c5 armature adapted to engage theterminals of a broken wire ofthemain circuit when .in its- ,normalposition. v T 1 -2. The eombinationyvith an electric meter ofj aneleciromagnet placed in'the shuntcir 1 1c of an electroma v 1o cult,contact-pointsrespectlvelyehgagmg the cuit, suitably-located contactsrespectively engaging the terminals of a broken Wire of the maincircuit, an armature adapted to simultaneously engage said contacts whenin 112s normal pos tion, and a seat adapted to receive saidarmature-when released from the,

magnet. r 3. The combination with en electr c meter et located 1n theshunt-cirterminals of a broken wire of the main circuit secured thereto,an armature adapted to si--' multah'eo xsly engage said contacts, and anin-' sulated seat located below said magnet and adapted to receive andsupport the armature when the core loses its magnetization,

.In testlm'ony whereofvI have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

